Messages

What the hell did shooter mcguinness know about education? Or that eejit ni chuilin know about sports?

it's all jobs for the boys.

There's absolutely an element of that. Jim Wells in Health was another fantastic example.

When has it been any different?

Sure what does Jeremy Hunt know about economics? He's an English teacher with a load of failed businesses behind him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68282329

"Its unfair we have to provide a plan to raise 113m ourselves in order for the British to write off the 550m we owe."

What is her background in finance?

What are any of their backgrounds in what they do? They will pay a consultancy firm an absolute fortune using taxpayers money to tell them what to do.
This is the way.

Thats my point, she hasn't really got a clue what she's talking about, no wonder people have such distain for politics here.

Hardly surprising, she wasn't expecting to be in this role three weeks ago.

DUP threw the Shinners a curve ball on the Finance portfolio and it's well and good Michelle coming out and saying there'll be no water charges but there will need to be something.

The Domestic rates cap seems to be the most obvious thing to go and will impact the more affluent areas most as it's based on house valuations.

Not sure how much that'll generate though.

There is a cap on the valuations though, is there not? So a mega house does not necessarily pay much more than a nice one.

Currently there is, but that's up for review to be removed to raise more funds.

Ards and North Down as well as South Belfast going to be the most impacted according to John Campbell Biz on the BBC.

Currently in the process of changing car and trying to source the best 7 seater SUV. From reading reviews the cars that seem best in performances and reliability are Hyundai Santa Fe, SKODA Kodiaq, KIA Sorento, Volvo XC90.

Would definitely be trying to buy a used car at reasonable money. Price of cars obviously increased post COVID so wondering is it best to maybe buy in England instead of Ireland.

Anyone any advice on 7 seater cars that they may already have especially the pros and cons.

Been looking at these models myself recently. If I could afford it I'd obviously go with the xc90. Beautiful Motor and never a recorded fatality as far as I'm aware. Had an older model before but cost a few Bob to run. Newer models better fuel efficiency. The Kia and Hyundai have had face lifts in21/22 so are very pricey in the used market. Although have heard great reviews on both. Kodaq q probably cheapest option with decent reviews too. Top of the range ones a decently kitted out. The prices up North are crazy. I bought a year old kuga in 2018 for 18k. Now a year old Kuga is 23k

Work colleague is a big fan of the XC90's, buys them from somewhere in Scotland though and drives it home, says he can save a few K doing it that way.

XC90 and KIA Sorento definitely have better space in the 3rd row. Kodiaq not as good. All three drive better well to be fair but would say XC90 is best by far. Higher price but you get what you pay for I guess. with whatever one we go with, long term I hope none of the three give any long term problems and are easy to run.

JCool do you know the dealer your friend buys from in Scotland? Thanks

Arnold Clark mostly he says;

Arnold

Does he get much of a discount off list price from them? I spoke to them on a car i was interested in at about £20k and I probably needed about £500 off to make it worth travel etc and they were not for budging on the price.  I was not prepared to travel over and then try to haggle as the option of walking away becomes expensive then.

I have heard that there are much fewer dealers in the UK (and NI) prepared to move on price now because of all the car supermarkets that have a no haggle policy. Would be interested to hear if people's experiences back this up, particularly if trying to negotiate on phone before travelling to UK.

He's a Tyrone man so I'd doubt he pays full price 

He didn't mention haggling but was comparing against Belfast prices for a similar spec'd car and reckoned he was almost 6K better off, so well worth the flights and boat tickets etc etc, but he did say to ensure that they agree for local garages to honour the warranty before you buy.

Currently in the process of changing car and trying to source the best 7 seater SUV. From reading reviews the cars that seem best in performances and reliability are Hyundai Santa Fe, SKODA Kodiaq, KIA Sorento, Volvo XC90.

Would definitely be trying to buy a used car at reasonable money. Price of cars obviously increased post COVID so wondering is it best to maybe buy in England instead of Ireland.

Anyone any advice on 7 seater cars that they may already have especially the pros and cons.

Been looking at these models myself recently. If I could afford it I'd obviously go with the xc90. Beautiful Motor and never a recorded fatality as far as I'm aware. Had an older model before but cost a few Bob to run. Newer models better fuel efficiency. The Kia and Hyundai have had face lifts in21/22 so are very pricey in the used market. Although have heard great reviews on both. Kodaq q probably cheapest option with decent reviews too. Top of the range ones a decently kitted out. The prices up North are crazy. I bought a year old kuga in 2018 for 18k. Now a year old Kuga is 23k

Work colleague is a big fan of the XC90's, buys them from somewhere in Scotland though and drives it home, says he can save a few K doing it that way.

XC90 and KIA Sorento definitely have better space in the 3rd row. Kodiaq not as good. All three drive better well to be fair but would say XC90 is best by far. Higher price but you get what you pay for I guess. with whatever one we go with, long term I hope none of the three give any long term problems and are easy to run.

JCool do you know the dealer your friend buys from in Scotland? Thanks

Arnold Clark mostly he says;

Arnold

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68282329

"Its unfair we have to provide a plan to raise 113m ourselves in order for the British to write off the 550m we owe."

What is her background in finance?

What are any of their backgrounds in what they do? They will pay a consultancy firm an absolute fortune using taxpayers money to tell them what to do.
This is the way.

Thats my point, she hasn't really got a clue what she's talking about, no wonder people have such distain for politics here.

Hardly surprising, she wasn't expecting to be in this role three weeks ago.

DUP threw the Shinners a curve ball on the Finance portfolio and it's well and good Michelle coming out and saying there'll be no water charges but there will need to be something.

The Domestic rates cap seems to be the most obvious thing to go and will impact the more affluent areas most as it's based on house valuations.

Not sure how much that'll generate though.

Currently in the process of changing car and trying to source the best 7 seater SUV. From reading reviews the cars that seem best in performances and reliability are Hyundai Santa Fe, SKODA Kodiaq, KIA Sorento, Volvo XC90.

Would definitely be trying to buy a used car at reasonable money. Price of cars obviously increased post COVID so wondering is it best to maybe buy in England instead of Ireland.

Anyone any advice on 7 seater cars that they may already have especially the pros and cons.

Been looking at these models myself recently. If I could afford it I'd obviously go with the xc90. Beautiful Motor and never a recorded fatality as far as I'm aware. Had an older model before but cost a few Bob to run. Newer models better fuel efficiency. The Kia and Hyundai have had face lifts in21/22 so are very pricey in the used market. Although have heard great reviews on both. Kodaq q probably cheapest option with decent reviews too. Top of the range ones a decently kitted out. The prices up North are crazy. I bought a year old kuga in 2018 for 18k. Now a year old Kuga is 23k

Work colleague is a big fan of the XC90's, buys them from somewhere in Scotland though and drives it home, says he can save a few K doing it that way.

[If you watched the Waterford game yesterday, there was rucks aplenty in that game, conditions didn't help but its winter/spring hurling.]

What county standard pitches are bigger than Corrigan?

Ballycastle?

Probably the only one. Is Dunsilly county standard? Probably not

I would have thought Ballycastle would be bigger, I'm just noting the fact that I think we are hurting ourselves at times playing there. I know the options are limited.

I do think sometimes we look at pitches and feel one pitch is far bigger or wider or both, but when we actually get the tape out, there isn't a lot in it..

If you watched the Waterford game yesterday, there was rucks aplenty in that game, conditions didn't help but its winter/spring hurling.

I'd certainly take teams to the bigger grounds but if that opens up more space for them it could also go against us

Tight grounds will limit both teams and actually give you a tighter game in the scores

But we are limited in venues and Corrigan, until Casement (if ever) is built and allow Antrim to play there we have to go to Corrigan

Walsh Park is one of the smallest county grounds in the country.

I didn't say it wasn't small, its how hurling has developed. Pitch size won't stop rucks in hurling. Possession hurling is a big part of that

Possession hurling done badly causes rucks, done well means you retain possession, hence less rucks.

Despite the Red High - St Colmans and Abbey are massively underachieving in A grade football. 11 years without winning a title on the field of play and almost 20 years for Abbey.
Every school in every area can't be complaining they are not getting quality players. St Joes and St Marks have won a few lesser titles in recent times - maybe it comes down to coaching?? Do we need more coaching officer roles in the county to visit the schools?? What are St Louis at? Since their school amalgamation they have gone backwards.. Let's hope that doesn't happen in Downpatrick..

Without a doubt, our coaches need to be working with our secondary school football teams.The new school in Downpatrick first on the list.

It would be interesting to see what our existing GDO's are doing for a start!

[mullocker]

Just the 12 steps I counted for the Waterford goal v Clare 

The ref couldn't see if he tapped the ball on the stick or not, cos he was facing away and had a big Clare mullocker on his back.

 

Donal Óg gets ten monologues a year written into his contract? It's so painfully set up and the man does not give a flyin' f**k about Ulster Hurling.

He was on one about the split season and then when a Westmeath player said he loved it...there was nothing said. I'd be more keen to hear from the likes of the Louth Captain who was on last night.

But, hurling folk are more precious than rugby people. If you don't scream hurling is the best game ever then they have an issue. Maybe some people don't like it. Maybe kids, even the ones who start young simply do not enjoy it as much as other sports...that's just a thought mind.

His rant before the Cork v Kilkenny game was something to behold.

He was giving out that Croke Park allowed Cork to proceed with the renovations to SuperValue Pairc and this was a millstone around Cork GAA, you really couldn't make it up.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1756410086505754770

Mc rory is donminated these days by Tyrone and Derry teams. St colmans, Abbey, St Louis and red high downpatrick well of the pace.

Red High very rarely compete in McRory even when they have had teams with several county minors.
They seem to value competing in a B competition more than testing themselves in an A competition.

Maybe with the impending bigger pick as "Lecale" next year they'll do a St Ronans of Lurgan and make bigger in-roads.

In fairness there is a massive difference in winning the McCrory with the equivalent of Kerry and bringing Kilkeel single handedly to the final more suited to a Sligo.

Ordinarily I'd agree with you.

But Clarke weren't alone. It was a freakish time for St Louis football.

Over those couple of seasons he'd teammates of the calibre of James Colgan, Joe Ireland and Pete Fitzpatrick, three of the best players in Ireland for their age group.

Then Gavin Joyce, Eamon McConville, Hugh Magee, Gerard McCartan, who won AI minor medals in 2005.

Luke Howard was involved too, a fine player who I think played in an u21 Ai final.

And something in my head says the O'Reilly brothers were St Louis men too around that time.

Marty was fabulous.

But this wasn't just the Marty show.

Don't think Jamie was a St Louis player but Ben joined in 6th form the term after their 2nd macrory final loss I believe

Ben and Jamie played a bit of underage hurling for us, Jamie had a bit of pace about him IIRC

Cork have finally realised you need to tackle...

Not as bad as Blowitup but lines appearing all over the TV - just over 2 years old.

Have it above the fire so assume that is the issue   

You got a heat deflector below it?

Tony Scullion has a lot of depth. He is not one dimensional like many sports stars. . His story of triumph over adversity, his honesty, his unique talent, his communication skills, his importance to Derry, his humanity , the picture of his family with Sam Maguire, the respect John Joe Doherty and Damien O Donaill  showed for him - he was the perfect subject for Laochra Gael. A real Laoch.

He certainly is compared to Bono

I really enjoyed this one.

In recent times , it's become more about  personal tragedies rather than  the persons sporting  career. Tony's passion and honesty  spoke volumes here

The story of his ill neighbour running up and down  the stairs when Tony won an all star , and Tony  taking his award  to him  before going to his own home. That's what it's all about, he says. So true. He didn't  forget the people who  were good to him and helped him on  his way.

Used to love watching him play.  A brave , honest player.

Only got round to watching both the Richie Power and Tony Scullion ones recently and both very open and sincere lads for different reasons.

Tony's driven spirit really comes through and the same with Power in relation to his knee issues, both driving on no matter what.
No creatine or protein shakes for Tony, only praties and butter and he'd still put most gym bunnies on their hole, one hardy buck.

Enjoyable watches.